Degree Show 2025
Alice Lee
BA Art and Design
I am a realist artist and designer based in Derbyshire, working primarily with paint mediums. My practice focuses on commissioned work, landscapes, human form and portraiture. Further works available to view on Instagram: @art_byalicelee. My degree show project explores the relationship between narrative and image, drawing inspiration from 19th-century artworks. My artwork seeks to reinterpret the societal beliefs of that era, particularly highlighting the mistreatment of women. While many 19th-century artworks drew from literary sources that often reinforced gender stereotypes, my work challenges and reimagines these narratives through a contemporary lens.
This series of paintings is inspired by the 19th-century poem My Last Duchess by Robert Browning (1842). The poem explores themes of objectification, focusing on a Duke’s controlling perspective of the Duchess. Each painting in the series visually interprets a specific line from the poem, thus creating a parallel between narrative and image. The works are arranged in chronological order, following the narrative of the poem to guide the viewer through the story.
Each painting is hand-drawn and painted with oil paints on canvas, ranging in size from 15×20 cm to 20×20 cm. They each portray a reimagining of the Duchess, using metaphorical imagery to subtly highlight the mistreatment she endures throughout the poem. The series invites viewer interpretation and emotional engagement.
These artworks aim to reflect how both literature and visual art have long served as powerful means of expressing personal beliefs and emotions, often subtly resisting societal norms. Ultimately, this series seeks to highlight the portrayal of women in the 19th century and to challenge these representations through contemporary art pieces.